Method of producing printing-surfaces.



W. J. YEOELL. METHOD OF PRODUCING PRINTING SURPA 1.

CBS. EATION FILED MAY 18, 1904. RENEWED D110. 28, 1911.

\ Patented July 30, 1912.

WILLIAM JOHN YEOELL, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF PRODUCING PRINTINQt-SURFACES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1912.

Application filed May 18, 1904, Serial No. 208,632. Renewed December 28, 1911. Serial No. 668,327.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Hutu M J. YEonLL, of New York, N, Y., have invented a certain Improved Method of Producing Printing-Surfaces, of which the following description is a specification.

This invention relates to 'the production of printing surfaces, and is of particular utility for producing in large quantities and at a high rate of speed. replicas of type matter and cuts to be distributed to publications throughout the country for printing advertisements and articles illustrated and otherwise although I contemplate its utilization in any field to which may improvements may be applied by reason of their nature.

The object of my invention is to reproduce by mechanical means the surface of type characters closely related as set up in text, etc., and the printing surface of cuts, engravings or the like. this replica to be in the form of a plate, clear. sharp, and thick enough to" print from direct on its relief side or to serve on its intaglio side as a matrix in which to form by pressure of a kneading or rolling character other printing surfaces. By this method I produce a device presenting the advantages of the electrotype and stereotype without their defects, and obviating the slow and tedious minutiae of the processes by which they are produced.

One novel feature of my improved method resides in forcing together the type or plate original, and the soft metal blank, by a swaging or k eading pressure, by which the metal of the blank is Worked into every crevice, and intimately against every projection of the original, producing a sharp plate, with all the details of the original and of even thickness throughout.

I prefer to use for the material of the blank a metal of high ductility and tenacity to yield to the sw'aging pressure but not be ruptured thereunder, and as the replica r0- duced under such conditions lacks stability for many subsequent purposes of reproduction, I have adopted the novel step of hardening the replica, preferably using steel or analloy thereof, presenting-the desired ductility, tenacity and capability of tempering, Without sharpness and detail.

The production by the kneading or swaging pressure can be accomplished in any impairment of its I suitable apparatus, and the replica can be nscd for printing, with or without backing,

in any suitable press or apparatus. hen used as a matrix it may be suitably backed, and secondary replica-s produced by pressing into it blanks of the same metal or any suitable metal, copper, brass and aluminum being useful, they being easily Worked, re-' spending k ndly to the swaging or kneading which 1t is desirable to utilize in this step.

both illustration and text in a single plate and at one operation being an especially valuable result of n yne'w process. It will be seen also that my novel method permits the production of a male and female plate 1n one.

The various features of my invention will Such replicas, being light, can benailed without excesslve postage, and itbe illustrated and described fully in the accompanying drawings and specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows in side elevation part of an apparatus suitable for carrying my invention into effect, Fig. 2 shows in section a replica in the construction of which my improvements have been embodied;-- and Fig. 3 shows the same provided with a backing serving as a matrix for the fOIlfifltlOIl of secondary replicas.

In carrying my improved method into effect, the form fromwhich the printable replica is to be produced, and which form may conta-in type a with or without illustrations as a, or an electrotype, stereotype, cut or any other suitable printing characters may and preferably'will be arranged in a suitable holdcr Z2 sucl 1 st-he ordinary galley or chase in which i should be securely locked. To thesurface of the form is applied a blanko of metal possessing the qualities of ductility necessary to permit'its conformation 'to the surface contour of the form, tenacity the qualities above detailed and presents also the capability for being tempered or hard ened, a feature not so much of importance in instances where the replica itself is to be used for printing, as in instances where the original replica is to furnish a matrix or form for the production of secondary replicas and therefore must resist deformation when in accordance with my invention the similar blanks for secondary replicas are to be forced into it, a step in my method to be described hereinafter,

In accordance with my invention the replica blank, of steel, phosphor-bronze, or other suitable metal applied as above indicated to the form surface, is pressed thereagainst by any suitable means that will apply a swaging, kneading pressure resulting in coaxing the metal of the blank closely upon the surface of the form and deeply into the interstices thereof. This pressure may be accomplished in any suitable manner and by any suitable means, as for example a press having a platen (Z with a. rocking motion. cooperating with a plunger e. In the use of such a press the forma may be placed upon the plunger 6, a piece of thin annealed steel 6 about one-thousandth or tu 'o-thousandths of an inch in thickness laid upon the surface of theform and at times it may be desirable to lay a piece of rubber or the like f over the steel before bringing the plunger of the press up toward the platen, by the rocking motion of which platen results the kneading or swaging effect desired to coax the steel into the form, the resulting replica 9 being illustrated in Fig. 2 on a. much enlarged scale.

To afford an adequate printing surface avliere a half-tone plate or the like constitutes the form, a relatively shallow replica will suffice, especially where there is considerable detail with no broad non-printing portions to be produced in or sunk beneath the printing surface of the replica. For replicas from forms of type not set very closely a deeper swaging of the replica into the form is desirable, and at times I substitute for the rubber or similar backing above mentioned,-the die (Z, which may be conveniently formed from lead or other soft metal by preliminary application of the same to the form surface with sufficient pressure of the plunger to work the form into the soft metal slightly and it always within the province of my method to utilize such a die when desired. whether produced in this manner or otherwise. or where the material for the die is not subjected to preliminary pressure before the steel or other replica blank is interposed between it and the form. The average depth of relief for a replica from half-tone illustrations may be three and one-half thousandths of an inch while the relief for replicas from type of over 1% point or thereabout may run to twenty thousandths of an inch and over. The replica thus produced, if of steel, may be treated by'a varnish or lacquer to pre vent rust and to act to a certain extent to soften the sharpness of its edges.

Passing to the portion of my invention which relates to the production of what I may term secondary replicas from the replica produced as above described, the latter may be used in any suitable way for this purpose and as one convenient mode of such use. I may back the replica as follows. The replica h of steel, phosphor-bronze or the like is heated tov a suitable temperature and its relief face applied to a block '2'. of soft alloy such as that known as fus ble metal. o n lead, into which the steel or the like is stiiik and cooled thereby being provided with a backing strong enough to resist subsequent pressure when duplicate blanks are forced into it. The original replica now constitutes a sharp, clear, hard female die embedded in a block of metal which may be placed in the press or other suitable apparatus in place of the original form, and the blanks for the secondary replicas may be kneaded and swaged into it substantially in the manner described with reference to the productionof the original replica, a secondary replica is being shown in Fig. 3. The blanks for the secondary replica may be made ftom a wider range of materials than a replica which is to be used for a matrix,

inasmuch as'less stability and less sharpness of intaglio is requisite as well as less relief.

Having thus described fully my improved method it will be understood that I do not limit myself to any specific materials or apparatus nor in general otherwise than as set forth in the claims read 111 connection with the foregoing specification.

l/Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. That improvement in the art of producing printable replicas of type and engraved, or other relief or ntaglio forms presenting a multiplicity of closely related pri ing characters, said improvement consisti g in coaxing, by a swaging or kneading pressure, into the interstices and over the high portions of said form, a blank of metal of sufficient ductility to enter into intimate, contact with every portion of the contour of said form, and of sufiicient tenaclty to withstand rupture uponthe sharp edges of said form, and of sufficient thinducing printable replicas direct from type' and engraved, or other relief or intaglio printable forms, said improvement consist,- ing in coaxing, by a swaging or kneading pressure of a reciprocating character, applied through the medium of a yielding but highly resistant hacking into the interstices and over the high portions of said form, a blank of metal of sufiicient ductility to enter into intimate contact with every portion of the contour of said form, and of suflicient tenacity to withstand rupture upon the sharp edges of said form, and sufii-- cient thinness to present a sharp, clear, printable relief surface opposite to the sur-" substantially as described.

3. That improvement in the art of producing printable replicas of type and en graved, or other relief or intaglio forms, said improvements consisting in coaxing, by a swaging f or kneading pressure, into the interstices and over the high portions of said form, a blank of metal of suflicient thinness and ductility to enter into intimate contact with every portion of the contour of said form, and to present a sharp, clear, printable relief surface opposite to the surface applied to said form, and of sufiicient tenacity to Withstand rupture upon the sharp edges of said form, and forcing into said original replica blanks to constitute secondary replicas, substantially as described.

'4. That improvement-in the art of producing printable replicas of type and engraved, or other relief or intaglio forms, said improvement consisting in coaxing, by a swaging or kneading ressure, into the interstices and over the high portions of said form, a blank of metal of sufficient thinness and ductility to enter into intimate contact with every portion-of the contour of said form, and of sufi'icient tenacity to withstand rupture upon the sharp edges of said form, and heating the original replica, providing the same with a backing of metal, and forcing into said original replica blanks to constitute secondary replicas, substantially as described.

5. That improvement in the art of producing printable replicas of type and engraved, or other relief or intaglio forms, said improvement consisting in swaging graduallyagainst a form a blank of steel or other metal capable of tempering and of receiving a printable relief surface opposite to the surface applied to said form, and thereafter tempering said replica, substantially in themanner and for. thepurpose set forth.

6. That improvement in the art of producing printable replicasgof type and" engraved, or other relief or intaglio forms, said improvement consisting in swaging a metal blank into said form, so that one surface. of said replica presents a matrix from which printable secondary replicas .can be produced, and thereafter'swaging secondary blanks into said original replica, substantially as described. I

Signed at New York in the county of N ew- York and State of New York this sixteenth day of May A. D. 1904.

7 WILLIAM JOHN YEOELL. Witnesses:

' ALEXANDER C. Pnounrrr,

CHARLES ALVIN ROGERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0. 

